


The Chessverse AU

by milopottz



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: 2P America (Hetalia), 2P England (Hetalia), 2P Hetalia, 2P North Italy (Hetalia), 2P Nyotalia Canada - Freeform, 2P Nyotalia England (Hetalia), 2P Nyotalia France - Freeform, 2P Nyotalia Japan - Freeform, Also I put drawings!, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Chess, Childhood Sweethearts, F/M, Implied Memory Loss, Implied abuse, Inspired by Barbie: Princess Charm School (2011), Inspired by Music, Inspired by The Selection Series, Minor Character Death, Royalty, Slow Romance, There are a lot of things i wanna put here but idk, This was from my ask blog, yea
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-18 05:22:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 14,954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29238267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/milopottz/pseuds/milopottz
Summary: While on a lunch break at work, the radio announced the Candidacy, the kingdom's most looked forward to event and a competition for the current king's heart for the women. With a twist however, the competition is set to include migrants from the now fallen enemy empire.Rosa did not want anything to do with it until she actually got in all thanks to her persuasive friends. What's set to happen?A compilation of drabbles from my ask blog’s Chessverse event loosely based on a HitoxYama song, some Barbie movies, and the Selection.
Relationships: 2P America/2P Nyotalia England
Kudos: 5





	1. Intro to event

**Author's Note:**

> *Blows of dust* Wow, I had an ao3? Sweet.
> 
> So, 5 months ago, I started an event called the Chessverse au on my ask blog, ask-canon2pengland-andfriends. I had the idea for a long time and I thought it’d be fun to put it in place. 
> 
> As of now, the event had just ended, so I’ll just repost all the drabbles I made for it here. They may be edited a little, but nothing major will change.
> 
> I hope you’ll enjoy them at least!

In the beginning, the heavens were ruled by two goddesses. One was Life and one was Death. 

Life and Death hated each other, but they knew if they were to clash, the heavens would fall apart.

One day, Death proposed: “Why don’t we create beings in our image and pit them against each other? A perfect game for our petty little war.”

Life agreed. And so, the goddesses created the world of Ahedres and the beings that dwell in it, humans and elves. From the dawn of time and beginning of civilization, man and elf hated each other, casting war after war just as the two goddesses have planned.

Alas, the time came when Death finally won.

— —

Long ago, there were two races in the world of Ahedres: man and elf.

The elves ruled the Marfillian Empire, the land blessed by the goddess of Life while the humans ruled the Kingdom of Ibenholt, the land blessed by the goddess of Death.

The two kingdoms had been at war for countless centuries. Their hatred for the other side passed down from father to child, brother to brother, friend to friend. As long as the gods willed it, the bloodshed never ended.

One day, the emperor of Marfillian arrived at the royal castle of Ibenholt, seeking an audience with the king. He proposed a truce to finally end it all, to bring peace between the two races at last.

But to do this, they needed something to signify their union. Something that could show they’ve put aside their differences to unite.

After much discussion and agreement, the deal was sealed: there was to be an engagement with their youngest children, and they shall be married in due time.

Prince Allen and Princess Rosalina were the best of friends. Ever since the day they first met, they became inseperable. 

The two of them brought hope for the nation, hope that they could bring them into a era of peace.

But that time never came.

Whilst he was parading the town square, the King of Ibenholt was assassinated. Rumors had spread that this was the doing of the Imperial family, as a week prior to the incident, the king and the emperor had a big disagreement over territorial ground that led to him storming from the palace in a fit of rage. The emperor had even refused to attend his funeral and provide comment on his death, which raised suspicion even further.

The king’s councilmen were fed information and documents that an assassin was indeed hired to kill the king, and they were foolish to immediately conclude it was the empire’s doing. 

Because of their foolishness, an order was sent that forever changed the course of history: to exterminate all the members of the imperial family and all who were involved with them.

On that fateful winter night, the ivory palace was stormed by armed soldiers. The walls and floors were scattered with blood and piles of lifeless bodies.

The imperial family were the last to go, gunned down as they were trapped on their way to escape. The entire palace was then set in flames, Marfillian was no more.

It was said that the twin siblings, Prince Robin and Princess Rosalina were last seen escaping into the forest. A search immediately followed, which only resulted in the recovery of Prince Robin’s decayed corpse and a broken rose ornament that belonged to the princess.

A year later, it was discovered that the assassination wasn’t carried out from by the imperial family at all. It was by a group of radical terrorists that orchestrated the empire’s fall. The councilmen and all those who were involved in the massacre were executed for manslaughter.

Some still hope that the princess could still be alive, others say it is all but false hope. But alive or not, the question still remains,  where is the princess? 


	2. Drabble 1: A Normal Day for Rosa

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was the first drabble where followers were given the chance to ask Rosa after introducing Quiery bugs (aka anons, but magical round pixies)
> 
> The drawings I made for every fic were all done traditionally to differentiate them from asks. You can probably notice some small changes in my art style the more I add other drabbles.
> 
> Enjoy! :)

As the sun rose from the east, so did the dawn of a new day. From the windowsill, a tiny little robin flew inside a small bedroom and landed on a pillow. It chirped loudly at the bundle of blankets that rolled away with a groan. It tried again, jumping up and down and poking around the covers without noticing the hand creeping behind it. 

It poked it, and the bird darted into the air surprised as its owner, an elf named Rosa, laughed as she slowly got up. “Good morning, you,” she smiled.

The bird looked angrily at her, “Serves you right for interrupting a girl’s beauty rest,” she rubbed its feathers in apology, “and I reckon it’s only four o clock in the morning.”

She sat up from bed and stretched her arms wide. “Well, there’s nothing I can do about that now,” she yawned as she made her bed. Meanwhile, her little helper prepared a damp towel for her to wipe her face with. Once she finished, she stripped off her nightgown and donned her work uniform.

Looking at herself in the mirror, Rosa thought she looked quite presentable now, save for the faint eye-bags underneath her eyes. That was alright though; she could borrow foundation from one of the staff at work. She traced the shape of her pointed ears, did they grow larger? She sure hoped not. 

While she tied her hair up, she looked down to see her friend hold a red rose in its beak. Rosa stared at it, frowned sadly and shook her head, “I can’t wear it today,” she sighed, putting it back inside a drawer, “not at work, remember?” It looked dejected, but it understood. 

Putting on her shoes, she set out for the door, “I’ll be back in the afternoon, alright? You best behave and not loiter the house. I love you!” she kissed her bird goodbye and left.

— —

It was a long ride from home to the town square, but Rosa arrived just in time. She reported to work and set everything in place until it was time for opening.

Business in the tea house was blooming as usual. Customers flocked here and there for their signature sweets and a nice pot of tea. Some were gracious enough to give her some spare change for her service. 

Thankfully, she’d finished her morning tasks and was on break for lunch in the backroom. Rosa grabbed her old worker’s lunchbox she’d bought from an old pawnshop and ate her cheap sour dough bread. Normally, she would’ve packed some cream cheeses to go along with it, but unfortunately her poor bird had eaten some and had to be sent to a vet.

“Oh goodness, it’s finally over,” Kayo, a friend of Rosa’s, sighed, “I thought my feet were going to explode from walking back and forth.”

“At least we didn’t have any annoying customers today. Remember that snotty noblewoman who yelled at poor Lilli’s ears for getting her order wrong?”

“I know! Poor dear, I can’t believe that woman made a sweet little girl cry.” 

She nodded in agreement, “Thank goodness we kicked her out of this establishment. I pity whoever gets to marry that woman.”

“Then it wouldn’t be a wedding, it’d be a death march.” The two friends laughed and continued their usual chitchat. 

A workmate, meanwhile, had tuned in to the radio nearby. 

_ “...and now, in a more somber note, today marks the 12th anniversary of...” _

The news broadcast caught Rosa’s attention, distracting her from her conversation. “Could you turn it up louder, please?” she called, interested to listen more.

_ “...the Marfillian imperial family. As of now, the King has issued a vigil in memory of the slain royals and all those who were involved with the massacre. Such an act has created mixed opinions considering how it was their fault in the first place...” _

“Exactly,” someone said nearby.

_ “...while others say that surely, we can learn to forgive but never forget, some say its ridiculous and offensive to elvenkind for a human of all things to issue a ‘half-baked’ apology for the late imperial family...” _

“Typical,” a worker scoffed, “It’s obviously just for show. Majority of the royals hadn’t approved of the engagement between King Allen and Princess Rosalina back then.”

“We don’t know that for certain. I mean, he was the princess’s best friend, and he was devastated over what happened to her.”

“I bet it was an act. Haven’t you ever seen him? He’s a cold man, that king. The Ibenholt royals are nothing but coldblooded murderers who only care about themselves, that’s what they are.”

“But at least he’d made better decisions than the previous king.” Everyone nodded and hummed unanimously. 

_ “...In other news, the raffle draw for this year’s Candidacy will still be accepting entries until later this week. If there any lucky men or women, man or elf, wishing to be picked and participate, please drop your...” _

“Oooh, a new Candidacy!” Kayo exclaimed, “have you tried entering?”

Rosa shook her head, “No, I never really thought of going. They wouldn’t want a maid as a contestant. I’d definitely be eliminated the moment I set foot in the castle.”

“Don’t think like that. Even if you don’t win, you could at least know you’ve tried and participated in one of the best events of a lifetime! You’d even get consolation prizes like boatloads of money or a new house!”

“That is if I did enter.”

“Come on, please? Just enter your name with me and that’s it! Please Rosa?” she begged, her fists bouncing up and down in anticipation.

If she were to be honest, the thought of living a luxury was a thought she’d always had. No more stale leftovers, no leaking ceilings, no need for work at all. Then again, it’s only one entry, and there were hundreds, if not millions, of others. Her being picked would be a very slim chance.

“I’ll think about it,” was her reply. That was enough for Kayo as she clapped her hands in delight. The clock reached 1:15 and lunch break was over. Everyone who was in the backroom quickly got themselves together and returned back to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It ends abruptly because this was where the asks started.
> 
> If you want to check more about the chessverse au, just go to my ask blog and look through the #chessverse tags. Everything is all there! Thank you! C:


	3. Drabble 2: Behind the Castle Walls

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This takes place a day prior the previous drabble.
> 
> If Allen seems a bit aloof or ooc, it’s because I headcanon that 2P America is a more collected and aloof version of America that takes work seriously. In contrast to his 1p, he’s introverted and socially awkward at times. Allen can be calm, but he could get frustrated easily.
> 
> Anyway, enjoy!

“A Candidacy?” the king barged into his mother’s study and yelled, “Mother, what were you thinking?”

“Allen, what did I say about knocking before you enter.”

“Now’s not the time for formality, you issued this without my knowledge or consent  ** and ** you expect me to host it? It’s preposterous! There are more urgent matters to take care of-“

The queen pounded her desk, forcing Allen to shut his tongue. “That is enough, son,” she scolded. She arose and strode towards him, “Allen, it is your duty to uphold a tradition we have kept for ages. It would be unwise to refuse rebuilding the new set of monarchs our kingdom needs.”

“And what? Do I have to forget about the rebels who are building their forces as we speak? Do I have to forget the war we are facing just for some beauty pageant?” Allen spat, “This so called ‘tradition’ is obviously a means for distraction from it all, isn’t it? It’s ridiculous!”

“Say what you want about it, but the Candidacy will be put into place and that is final.” She approached closer, Allen took a few steps back, her eyes boring into his, “Ah, yes, and I expect that you find yourself a bride out of your Candidates.”

His eyes widened in shock, a bride? “Mother-“

“While it is traditional that we let men participate, I would rather you let in more women to increase your chances of finding a suitable partner,”

“But I-“

“Ibenholt needs a new queen, Allen. I’d rather you stopped being childish and pick someone that can comply with my demands, most preferably one of our kind.”

“Why would you-“

“I’ve made sure that when the ballots come-“

“Mother, I don’t want this!” Allen snapped. 

“Watch your tongue!” She quickly yelled back. Her fiery crimson eyes stared at his, “In case you’ve forgotten,  I  am still the reigning queen.  _ I’m _ the one who gets to decide what is best for the kingdom, not you. You should be grateful that  I’ve let you dawdle around with affairs and it’s all thanks to  me  that we allowed those pointy-eared mutts into our kingdom. The least you could do is show me the respect I deserve!”

She continuously pierced her finger onto his chest, “You are a king, Allen, and it’s time you stopped acting like a child and obey me.”

Allen felt his blood boil. Obey her? The wench who ignored him and treats him nothing like a son? As much as he despised her decision, she’s still the queen, his mother, and he can’t oppose her. 

“Fine,” Allen growled, taking his leave and slamming the door harder than before.

— —

“Gods, I HATE her! Who does she think I am, her puppet?” he grumbled as his sister watched in annoyance as he continued pacing around his room, rolling her eyes, “Oh, sure, I’ll just distract the people from potential warfare and unrest by hosting some competition you want just for show. BRILLIANT!”

“Allen, you’re overreacting.”

“How can you say that?” He turned to his sister, “Mattie, you and I both know what kind of a woman she is.”

“Yeah, I do. But I also know that cancelling the Candidacy would cause outrage because our subjects apparently look up to such an event. You did push for elves to participate, so that’s another reason. Plus, announcing that we could be in a war will cause panic and disorder.”

Allen opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out of it. He hated to admit it, but she was right. He groaned and sat on his bed, balling his hair into his fist. Great, he was stuck in an impasse, and both offered an option he didn’t want. ‘How did it come to this?’ he thought.

“Why can’t I ever get my say in things? Why can’t I make a decision without her breathing down my neck?”

“Unless you want me to kill that bitch in her sleep, you could,” she joked.

Allen growled at her. Matilda sighed, “Come on, it’s not the end of the world. You gotta stop being so stuck up and serious all the time. What’s so bad about letting your guard down once in a while?”

He glared, “You know why.”

She didn’t need to say anything else, the look said it all. Matilda sat beside him, folding her arms together. “Did the most recent search find anything?”

Allen shook his head. “Nothing. Not even a trace. It’s like she just...disappeared.”

“You’re not going to stop, aren’t you?”

He hummed in response, his gaze downcast and lost in its own world. Twiddling his thumbs was a habit he never got over, especially when he’s in deep thought. “Never.”

Neither of them spoke a word to each other after that. The silence acted like a barrier, but neither wanted to break it. They just sat there until the time came when Matilda wanted to leave.

His sister rubbed his back sympathetically, “You’ll find her.”

As soon as she closed the door, Allen spread his arms and legs and flopped onto his back. “I hate this,” he mumbled to no one but himself, “I really, really hate this.”

He turned to his side, looking at his nightstand. He grabbed the small picture frame that stood on top. It was an old photo of him and his childhood friend, smiling mid-laugh because of some long forgotten joke. How he envied them, how he wished things things were simpler now like before.

His fingers slowly ran across the smiling little girl’s face. ‘Rosie,’ he sadly smiled. If she were here, would things have been different? What kind of a person could she have been? Would things have changed between them? Such questions would forever remain a mystery, so it seemed.

“I miss you,” he whispered faintly, “wherever you are.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah... their step mom is a bitch.
> 
> It’s somewhere in the blog, but even though Allen’s King, he doesn’t have absolute power since the previous King’s Queen is still alive.
> 
> If you want to check more about the chessverse au, just go to my ask blog and look through the #chessverse tags. Everything is all there! Thank you! C:


	4. Drabble 3: Reminiscence, Reunion, Remorse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And THIS was the chapter where I actually used my watercolor sketchpad lol. It takes place on the same day of the first drabble, just a few hours later.
> 
> The only warning I can give here is that Allen’s so awkward and I inserted my aph oc, Manuel, who represents Luzon from the Philippines.
> 
> Enjoy!

The day Allen feared for finally came.

It was ironic how sunny and clear the sky was, a joyful contrast from what was about to occur. For a brief moment, he remembered the joy he felt when he saw the bright, massive palace that stood atop the hills that separated the kingdoms. The excitement to come see his friend, and how it was overcome with such pain that he couldn’t bear to see it.

“Your Majesty?” he turned his attention to his pawn, Manuel, “you don’t look to good. Is something wrong?”

He shook his head, “No, nothing, it’s just,” Allen paused, frowning, “I’m anxious is all.” He felt ashamed admitting it, even though he was the one who asked for it in the first place.

“I see. I mean, it is understandable. It’s been, what, twelve years since you’ve visited here, hasn’t it?”

“Actually, it was four.”

Manuel shot his eyebrows, surprised. “Really?”

The king hummed, affirming it. “It was also the last time I personally went to my issued searches.” Allen swallowed, grasping his hands tightly, “I went to encase Prince Robin in his casket.”

“…Oh.”

“Yeah...”

Manuel tried to change the subject, “I don’t know if I’m in a position to ask this, but…what was she like?”

Allen looked up, “Want me to be honest?”

“Uh, yeah, I suppose.”

He fondly smiled, his small laugh surprising him, “Rosalina was the most hyper kid I ever met. She never liked sitting still and she’d often challenge me to catch her while she ran all around her garden. I was never good at running and she knew that.”

He continued, “I remember her teaching me how to host a party with a bunch of those weird, porcelain dolls. We drank milk from tiny teacups and stuffed ourselves with cookies and those weird things that look colorful and have cream stuffed inside them.”

“Do you mean macarons?” Manuel filled in.

Allen slapped his thigh, “Oh, THAT’S what they were called!”

“You seriously didn’t know?” the humiliated look on his face made him laugh even more.

Allen couldn’t hide his embarrassment and waved his hand. “Okay, okay, anyways, so, after that, it was time for me to leave and Rosie kept crying, really hysterical even. She literally clung onto me and begged to come with me for a sleepover. I couldn’t help but laugh, which made things worse, so I had to promise her, ‘swear by my pinky,’ she could come next week.”

“So did you have a sleepover, as promised?”

“Yep, and it was the first time I stayed up later than 8:30, and how I singlehandedly defied my mother by tossing an antique vase she collected out of the highest tower.”

Manuel gaped, “You didn’t!”

“I did,” Allen smirked, “But hey, she never noticed.”

They burst into hearty laughter. As it died down a little, Manuel wiped tears away from his eyes. “She must’ve been a lovely person.”

Allen’s laughter quietly died down, a joyful, yet sad smile on his face. “Yes,” he murmured, “She was.”

Their conversation was cut short when the carriage abruptly shook, then came to a stop. They looked at each other alarmed before they stepped out. As they did, they found the footman alongside a few guards that accompanied them inspecting the wheel, thoroughly broken. They must’ve hit a sturdy stone to make it break apart.

The man apologized gravely to his king, but Allen consoled him, saying there was no need to.“It’s nothing to worry about,” he said, “we could go down to that town over there to get help.”

“Forgive me for speaking, Your Majesty,” a guard raised their hand, “but won’t you be recognized?”

“As long as I don’t have these clothes on, they won’t,” he took off his coat, leaving him with his grey dress shirt. After a few arrangements, Allen, Manuel, and Toris went to get help while the rest stood guard.

— —

The best thing about mastering anonymity was getting to roam the streets and see what goes around with the public. He promised his pawn and rook to be back after a quick walk while waiting for the repairman.

Allen took his time surveying the town; it was small, but lively, businesses were productive, there were no signs of environmental hazards, and what delighted him most was to see his citizens get along with Marfillians.

“Can you believe what the news just said today? They’re letting elves of all things enter the Candidacy.”

Most of his citizens.

A gaggle of friends walked past him, perhaps they were daughters of rich noblemen who lived here. To his better judgement, Allen wanted to hear more.

“First they let mutts buy houses and steal jobs in the kingdom, and now they want them to run in politics. It’s bad enough that we have a half-bred as a rook.”

“Let’s hope they don’t cause any issues for their own royalty. Oh, wait, they don’t have any!”

He silently grit his teeth hearing those spoiled kids laugh, fists clenched and shaking as he walked away from them. A part of him wanted to go back, correct them, make them stop, but it won’t help anything. It’ll only mean trouble. It was inevitable that bias and prejudice would arise, Allen knew that. He just wished he didn’t have to hear that last remark today of all times. 

Someone bumped into him from behind, bringing him back to earth. “Oh, I’m terribly sorry! I wasn’t looking where I was going and…” the person behind him, a girl it sounded, began to ramble.

“No, it’s fine I-“ Allen turned around, freezing on the spot. The girl behind him was a Marfillian in a black dress, her red hair tied and braided into a bun. 

It was rude, improper, of him, but Allen couldn’t help but stare at her. She looked really, really pretty he had to admit. Oh gods in the heavens, what was wrong with him? Now he’s being creepy. He should say something, anything, but he didn’t know what to start this conversation with, he shouldn’t make it awkward-

“Hello? Can you hear me? I didn’t hit your head, did I?”

“Nice face!”

Wow,  definitely not awkward. Great job, you dunce, he thought.

“No wait, wait, I mean, uh-“

She laughed so suddenly it surprised him. “Now that’s a rather odd way of saying hello, don’t you think?” she smiled, leaning closer to him, “What’s your name?”

Allen looked away, flustered. She was quite brash, this girl, making him blush and lost for words. He fiddled with his collar, trying to come up with a name.

“J-Jason,” he opted for his middle name, “my name’s Jason.”

“I’m Rosa, nice to meet you.”

“You too.” He timidly shook her hand.

Rosa giggled, “Again, I’m really sorry. I didn’t look where I was going. Hard to catch a cab, you know?”

“I guess so,” Allen tried to keep his cool. He wished he didn’t ditch his social skills then and there as the nervousness made him sweat.

“I don’t think I’ve seen you around before, are you new here?”

“Oh, it’s nothing like that,” he shrugged and crossed his arms, “My car-er, wheel broke and, uh, I’m just roaming around while my friends wait for the repairman.”

She nodded, “Hmmm, I see. I hope your trip won’t get delayed.”

“It’s fine. Just a few more minutes and I’ll be back on my dreadful journey to a mountain.”

“A mountain, huh? Quite daring for someone who’s too shy to compliment a lady.”

“Hey-“

“I’m kidding, sorry,” Rosa handed him a small piece of paper, written on it was address for a tea shop Allen never heard of. “Here, it’s not much, but I guess if you really want me to make it up to you, you could get a free dessert where I work at. It’s on me!”

Allen hesitated, he didn’t want to disappoint the girl, knowing he won’t see her again after this, but he took it anyways, a timid smile on his face, “Alright, thank you.”

She smiled when eyes immediately shot up as she exclaimed, “Oh finally, I could get a ride!” As she left, she waved him goodbye as she ran, “It was nice meeting you, Jason!”

He waved back, watching her get on a cab and leave. It was a bit strange she called him Jason, but he didn’t mind. He gave her that name, after all. Allen turned back and returned to where he left Manuel and Toris.

— —

By dawn, a mass was held at the royal basilica, where attendees prayed for the intercession of the Almighty Goddesses of Life and Death, for the peaceful departure of the Imperial Family.

One by one, the caskets were carried, candles were alit and somber hymns were sung as they made their way to the Ivory tomb, where all the Marfillian royals were put to rest.

As all of them were entombed, Allen placed wreaths of white roses, as per tradition. First was the emperor, the empress, the brothers, and finally, the empty tomb for Princess Rosalina.

After he placed it down, he took a moment to lament. His fingers gingerly traced her name on the plaque. It felt wrong to give honor to an empty tomb, nothing about it felt right. Still, he had no choice. He wanted a vigil, and he’d never forgive himself if he backed down now.

He stood up, and lit the divine candles that represented them. After one more prayer, everyone left their tomb to lay in peace. 

As the cold wind passed, the candles were quickly extinguished by the harsh breeze. The princess’s candle was the only one standing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to check more about the chessverse au, just go to my ask blog and look through the #chessverse tags. Everything is all there! Thank you! C:


	5. Drabble 4: The Candidacy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some stuff from the blog: Rosa moved in to Ibenholt so she could earn money enroll in a university to take up fashion design while finding inspiration to complete her portfolio. No one ever got to ask why she chose fashion so here’s the answer: She’s a ballet nerd. She dreams of someday working on beautiful costumes. 
> 
> There’s a one-week timeskip cus duh, ask blog, and I was getting insecure.
> 
> Also, my drawings suck here because I nearly forgot how to draw on paper at the time. Man 0_0
> 
> Anyway, enjoy!

“Thanks for letting us come, Rosie!” Lilith spoke in between bites, “Mm, these are really good! Where’d you get them?”

“No problem! I made them myself, my mum taught me.” 

“Oooh.” 

Kayo poured herself another cup of tea, mixing in some fresh milk. “So, girls, tomorrow’s the big day,” they both turned their heads at her, “Aren’t you guys excited? I’ve been restless ever since we went to enlist!” 

Lilith laughed nervously and played with her ribbon, “I’m kind of nervous actually. Nervous in the way that I’m super excited, you know? This could be the chance of my life!”

“I just want to get my hands on meeting the king! Back off ladies, I’m getting that man!”

Both of them squealed excitedly while Rosa rolled her eyes half-heartedly. “How about you, Ro-Ro?”

“Well, I guess so? Not really,” she shrugged, “I mean, it’d be great, but I’m not into this sort of thing. I just agreed because you promised to pay us ten silver pieces each if none of us get in.”

“No, don’t remind me!” Kayo covered her ears, wanting to forget the wager she promised. 

Lilith on the other hand, had a cheeky smile on her lips, hidden by her teacup. “Or, maybe you just don’t want to miss your darling Jason,” she cooed.

Rosa turned as red as her hair while her friends started gushing at her. Embarrassed, she looked away and waved her hands frantically, “I-It’s not like that, honestly! He looked cute, sure, but-“ she covered her mouth, deeply regretting that statement as the teasing became worse.“

Come on, you guys!”

Kayo was the first to calm down, “Ok, fine, fine. It’s not like we’re condemning your boyfriend.”

“He isn’t my boyfriend! Besides, I haven’t seen him since that day.”

“Did he come yesterday?”

“No.”

“How about while you were walking in the square, did you see him again?”

“Not a chance.”

“Oh, you said he had brown hair, right? I bet it was that guy from two days ago, he was SO looking at you!”

“Girls, relax, it was just an offer,” Rosa laughed, “It’s not like I expected him to come the next day after that.”

“But you don’t know when he could be coming!” Lilith protested, her eyes sparkling, “Think about it: he could come in, give you some flowers, order something you both could share, and oh my GODS HOW ADORABLE IS THA-“

Kayo shut her mouth before she could continue gushing, “What she’s trying to say is, this Jason man could show up at any given time, and you won’t even bother to do your hair and make-up for the occasion?”

“I never said it was a date!” Rosa argued. She twirled a strand of her hair, blushing, “I mean, I just met him, and I don’t know if he has a girlfriend or-or if there’s someone he’s interested in. Besides, he travels, so who knows I’ll ever see him again.”

Her friends groaned in disappointment over Rosa’s lack of enthusiasm. They’d been too eager to help further the motions of her “love life” ever since she’d told them about the mysterious traveler two days ago that they forgot how unromantic she was.

Rosa took a bite from one of her cookies she readied for her friends. Despite being anxious for the radio announcement on who’s entering the Candidacy, it was a lovely day for tea. She made a reminder to write a letter to thank Kayo’s grandmother for it.

“That doesn’t mean I  don’t want to see him again. A part of me hopes he’ll come around soon...”

“Oh he better come, or I’m suing him for heartbreak,” Kayo jested.

The girls laughed merrily and enjoyed their biscuits and tea. 

— —

In the break room, everyone was anxiously awaiting the results of the Candidacy entries. There was indistinctive chatter all around, wondering who will be in this year or if they’ll be in. A worker hushed them once they got the radio working.

“Quiet! Quiet! It’s on!”

_ “And now, to announce the official list of participants, here with us is His Royal Majesty, the King.” _

_“Thank you, Sir Luciano,” The King spoke,  “First and foremost; I would love to thank my dear citizens wh o  have taken the liberty to enlist in this year’s Candidacy. May the goddesses bless us all and grant us a fair competition.”_

_ “Well said your Majesty. Now let's not keep everyone waiting, onto the ballots!” _

Everyone in the room now had their attention as the names were called out. Some they recognized, be it friends, family, or celebrities. They were now on the tenth participant. Only twenty five more and it was over.

Kayo was crossing her fingers and Lilith was bouncing up and down, pumping her fists.

_“Number 13: Anastasiya Arlovskya, Number 14: Marianne Bonnefoy,”_ the announcer droned on. 

“Oh, I know her! She’s the daughter of this establishment’s CEO, Marquis Bonnefoy!” Lilith whispered. She was immediately shushed by someone behind her. “Sorry.” 

The numbers kept increasing, and Rosa noticed how down some of them looked, her friends included. 

She rubbed their backs sympathetically, hoping it could cheer them up even a little. “Hey, at least we tried, right?”

They both nodded in unison. “

Yeah, at least,” Kayo smiled, “Right, Lili?”

“Mhm!”

They stayed silent as they listened to the rest of the broadcast.

_ “Number 33: Xiao Mei, Number 34: Michael Clark,” _

Everyone held their breaths as they awaited for the last contestant. 

Rosa was beginning to get bored of this. She opened up her mouth to suggest to her friends that maybe they should head out-

_ “And Number 35: Rosa Kirkland.” _

Everyone went quiet and stared at her, eyes wide and mouths gaping. She stood frozen on the spot in shock and disbelief. 

_ “Contestants, please be noted that for the remainder of the week, our hired officials will come over to your homes for inspections and interviews, so please prepare at any given time. For those who live at the rural sections of the kingdom, at exactly 9:00 a.m. sharp, you are expected to arrive at the Birchwood Railway Station where you will be escorted to a reserved train to the royal castle, courtesy of His Majesty." _

_ "This has just been the weekly Royal Broadcast hosted by Sir Luciano. May the Kingdom of Ibenholt forever prosper and empower.”  _

The radio finally shifted to its normal programming. There was nothing but silence until everyone in the workplace burst into cheers and congratulations for their co-worker.

Rosa yelled, “WHAT?” 

“You’re in! You’re in! Oh gosh, we’re so proud of you.” Kayo and Lilith hugged her tightly and jumped up and down.

“What-No. This can’t be real, PLEASE tell me this is a dream.”

“Oh, it’s definitely NOT! Ahh, you’re heading to the castle!”

“Girl, we are SO rooting for you,” another workmate pat her shoulder, “It’s a good thing you signed up for it, eh?”

No, it wasn’t, she wanted to say out loud. Gods be damned, this was not what she signed up for.

This was not what she wanted at all.


	6. Drabble 5 (1/2): Of Friends and Foes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This drabble had a 1/2 in it to indicate that it was too long for tumblr. The second half would follow up as a separate post. 
> 
> I think I’ll do the same here.
> 
> As always, enjoy!

To say she was nervous was an understatement to say the least, Rosa was beyond terrified for what is to happen. She held her suitcase tightly as she looked outside the window, her heart pounding rapidly.

For the past few days, officials swarmed Rosa’s house nonstop. The first few were fine, since they went to retrieve her medical history, documents that stated she was legally a citizen. Others, like the stout old lady who seemed to think her application was forged and the doctor who kept pushing for her diet, were too obnoxious for Rosa to consider them higher-ups. Her favorite visitor had to be the kind bearded man who went to take her measurements for her wardrobe. 

The last one was a man who was named Roderich Edelstein, who arrived just yesterday before she embarked for the train. 

“Miss Kirkland, am I correct?”

“Yes,” she replied.

“Well, there is no need for any further examinations, now that we know your history is clean, no criminal record, and of course, your documentation as a citizen.” 

Mr. Edelstein firmly clasped his hands and leant forward to the table, “Now, all I am here for is a quick layout of the rules. From this day forward, as harsh as it sounds, you are now considered property of Ibenholt. You must take good care of your image, body, and likeness for all the public to see. Am I clear?”

Rosa was uncomfortable of the situation but nodded, “Good. The first rule: You cannot leave the castle on your own accord; only the King and the Queen can grant you permission to do so but you must be accompanied.

Second: You mustn’t refer to the Royal Family by their own name. It is a form of disrespect and demeanor. 

Third: Unlike the men, the women are free to engage in romantic activity with the King  only.  To engage with another will consider you as unworthy of being part of the parliament. There are  some parts of this rule I would love to elaborate, but I believe it’s best not to.”

The look on his eye meant that this was a rule not to break. She gulped and listened more.

“Fourth: You shall be educated in the ways of a regal lady. Failure to comply with our tutors’ teachings will mean immediate elimination. There will be tasks and tests to see your progress and to show how much you have learned.

Fifth, and this is what I consider important: starting the day after tomorrow, with the recent invention of the television, you and other contestants will be seen and heard live onscreen and on radio. Answer every interview with courtesy and be mindful of your manners as everyone is having a glimpse of your lives in the castle. Harassment, blackmail, and all form of sabotage against a fellow contestant could be punishable by law.”

Just as Rosa was beginning to wonder when it all will end, Roderich reached his bag and pulled out some forms signed by her mother. 

“I have already discussed this with your mother, but now that you are a Candidate, you are considered noble. Your family will be granted protection and security. For every week you stay in the Candidacy, your family will be compensated, they will receive checks officially signed by Sir Manuel Ramos. Should you be eliminated, an aide will be sent to help you readjust back to normalcy.”

“I see.”

“With that said, are there any further questions?” Rosa shook her head, prompting Roderich to hand her the form, “Good, now sign here stating that you are aware and consent to the rules and you are off for the Candidacy.”

She took the pen and signed it, sealing her fate and dooming herself. The man quickly shook her hand and left.

Now, she was halfway near the castle, surrounded by unfamiliar faces in a shared compartment. If Kayo or Lilith were with her, maybe she’d feel less alone. 

“You’re going to hurt your back if you keep slouching like that, you know.”

Rosa looked up to see someone stand beside her. Dumbstruck, she looked around only to find there was only the two of them. “Um, me?”

“Of course you! I’m not talking to a ghost am I?” The strange girl laughed while Rosa looked confused, “I’m joking! Could I sit next to you?”

“S-Sure, I guess so!” She scooted over so she could take a seat next to her. 

“Oh thanks, I was kind of getting tired of the other girls talking gossip. I’m Marianne, Marianne Bonnefoy.”

“Rosa Kirkland,” she smiled, “A friend of mine recognized you on the broadcast.She said you were a model?”

Marianne laughed, “That? Oh, it was only a part time gig. I promised to help an old friend with his runway.”

“It must’ve been amazing.”

“Somewhat. What about you?”

“Well, I was working on my portfolio for a university until my friends at work roped me into this whole mess,” she moved her hands in circles, indicating the obvious, “It still baffles me, you know?”

“Totally!” Marianne clapped her hands. For a while, Rosa felt relaxed and laughed with her. 

They chatted as the long ride went on, keeping each other company and melting away any fear they might have had. Maybe it wasn’t bad, having found a possible friend. 

The driver announced their near arrival, making them pause and stiffen on their seats. Rosa took a deep breath and gave Marianne a nervous smile, to which she returned.

There is definitely much more in store for them.

— —

Dozens, if not, billions of spectators had showed up for their grand arrival. A golden carpet was laid out in front of the platform just for them. Every one of the girls stepped out, some had waved and blew kisses, and were immediately ushered onto carriages to parade throughout the streets. Rosa felt quite frightened with all the heightened security, but knew they were only there for her and the other’s protection. 

Reaching the castle entrance, they were instructed to walk in two lines with other contestants. 

The crowd was wild with joy, some rooting for famous contestants, others rooting for familiar faces from their hometowns. Rosa looked around and saw some elves, although most were segregated to another portion of the area. 

She’d heard some call for her name, raising flags and banners and cheering loudly. A little girl managed to tug her hand, wanting a signature. She smiled and stopped to sign her little notebook. Someone asked to have a photograph with her, another wanted to show her a poster they made, and more and more asked to shake her hand and congratulate her. 

Rosa was happy to oblige, though some other Candidates were glaring daggers at her as she kept interacting with the crowd. She didn’t have time to ponder about it when she realized she’d been left behind; quickly, she waved everyone a goodbye and caught up with her group.

Inside, the castle grounds were packed full of interviewers, staff, and officials all over the place. Two women rushed over to her and dragged her into a booth.

Without warning, a bunch of people swarmed over her with make-up kits and a full line of dresses. 

“Excuse me-“ Rosa squealed in surprise as a man began to undo her bun and incline her chair to a basin, where her hair was being soaked and lathered in shampoo.

“Sorry for the rush miss, but your group ran a little late and in about 40 minutes, you’ll be having your first photo shoot and first meeting with the king, we better make it quick.”

“I apologize, that was my fault,” she said as she felt the cold water splash through her hair, “I guess I got too caught up with greeting everyone that I-“

“Wait,  you stopped and interacted with the crowd?”

“...Yes?” the stylists shared a look that Rosa didn’t understand and continued toscrub her feet until it turned a bright polished red. 

After countless of minutes, Rosa was finally ready and dressed to perfection. As per request, her makeup and dress were simple, yet refined. Her hair had been added more volume to look thicker and was styled into a braided side-bun. The attire would have been pleasing had it not been for the aching heels that stung her feet.

An attendant fashioned her with a flowery perfume. She tried her best not to cough it all out. 

“Hey, I saw what you did outside,” she said, “I thought that was really bold of you.”

“Really? How so?”

“A lot of past Candidates usually condemn interacting with the public. Something like being higher in status and being out of reach. You actually dared to touch and talk with them.”

“Well, why wouldn’t I?” Rosa rebutted, “That’s a ridiculous concept. I’m not above the law, I’m just as much as a citizen like everyone, aren’t I?”

The attendant surprised her by laughing so suddenly, “Oh, I like you. Unlike that Vargas girl over there who thinks she’s top tier all because she’s rich,” she pointed a snobbish girl with curly brown hair done into a ponytail. Rosa recognized her as one of the girls who glared at her. “Careful, girls like that think every single thing you do is a threat. They’re willing to tear you to shreds to get what they want.”

Rosa warily nodded, keeping her advice in mind. It was her turn to shine, and she stepped out of the booth.

— —

The photo shoot went swiftly than what she’d expected. After a few smiles and poses, Rosa was swarmed with interviewer after interviewer asking her about how she feels being in the competition and her hopes for winning.

If she could be honest, she’d scream as loud as she can and run from it all, but alas, the rules.

Finally, she sighed as she was seated on the large dining table; sweet relief for her aching feet. Her spirits soared seeing Marianne sit next to her.

“Marianne, you look amazing!” She meant it: Marianne was dressed in a stylish purple dress embroidered with sequins and lace. Her hair and makeup made her look mature and bold.

“Why thank you! You're not too bad yourself."

"I think you stand out from the rest in all honesty. I mean, did you see the girl who looked like a peacock? She didn't have to overdo it.”

“Oh, tell me about it! What were they thinking?” the girls giggled quietly.

Marianne smiled once her laughter died down, “Really though, I’d like to thank you for talking with me on the train ride earlier. I know it sounds silly, but I don’t believe I should think of everyone here as my enemy. Might as well make some friends while we’re still here, right?”

Touched, Rosa nodded, “Yeah, you’re right. It’s not all about the competition.”

The bell rang, signaling the arrival of the major court of the Ibenholt Royals. Arriving first were the King and Queen’s pawns, General Toris of the West-side Rook, Princess Matilda, and the Queen herself.

Everyone stood in silence as they awaited for the Queen’s speech.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, humans and elves,” she began, “welcome to the 70th Candidacy. After long battles and warfare, we have now come together as one to strive for a zealous future. May the good goddesses bestow upon us a fair and just competition. May our judgement be clean and not corrupted. May the kingdom of Ibenholt forever prosper and empower. Thank you.”

A round of applause was given as the head monarchs began to take place at the table.

“And now, to initiate the feast and the beginning of the Candidacy, please welcome: His Royal Majesty, the King!”

From the giant hall emerged the king, dressed in a fine black suit with the Royal insignia. His hair was slicked back and a flaring gold cape trailed his back. As he walked, he passed by every one of the Candidates, taking a good look at them. Was it an inspection already?

Rosa felt her stomach grow butterflies as he seemed to grow closer. Flaring her nose, she shook her head and shooed away her worries. ‘Now isn’t the time!’

The king finally passed by her, and her gut immediately dropped. The king had the same red eyes that looked at her with the same nervousness. It had to be a lie, it should be a lie, but the sudden break of his demeanor just by a glance told her it wasn’t.

“...Jason?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made the mistake of drawing a crown on Marianne’s head instead of her purple roses-
> 
> Idk if Rosa and Marianne’s relationship seems ooc, I hc that they get along better than their counterparts cus duh they’re not their 1ps. Bonus headcanon: They both wear roses because it’s like their friendship bracelets or something. Marianne still wears hers after Rosa’s death (in my askblog canon)
> 
> If you want to check more about the chessverse au, just go to my ask blog and look through the #chessverse tags. Everything is all there! Thank you! C:


	7. Drabble 5 (2/2): We Meet Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NothattitleisnotaparodyofacertaindeValierficwdym-
> 
> And this was the start of me pouring all my yearning for more 2p usuk content in here. 
> 
> I think this was where my drawing got a little better now that remembered how to draw on paper lol.
> 
> As always, enjoy!

The King pulled his sight away from her, continuing his walk to the edge of the banquet table. He held his head high and looked at his guests with such confidence that Rosa couldn’t believe he was the same nervous man she met.

With a bold, regal voice, he greeted his guests, “Everyone, I congratulate you all in making it to the competition. I know everyone as well as I is eager to partake in this dinner, so I’ll make this short: I give you all my best wishes and hope for the best to our future rulers of Ibenholt. Goddess bless us all!”

A round of applause followed suit, followed by the alluring scent of freshly made dishes and joyful music. 

The line of entries were impressive and mouth-watering, from the juicy steaks, the salmon, and the various dessert laid before them. Rosa felt her stomach rumble and her tongue salivated. 

As she indulged herself in her plate of fish and chips, she struggled to remain civil and remember her table etiquette. She was in a banquet, not a house party. Reaching for her glass, she unintentionally looked to her left, where she could’ve sworn the King was looking at her.

Quickly, he turned away and continued chatting with his sister. Rosa held her glass firmly in her fingertips, feeling her stomach churn in knots. The food didn’t look as appealing now.

“What’s wrong,” Marianne whispered. She only noticed now how long she’d been staring at her drink.

“N-nothing I...I think I don’t feel so well.”

“You should go seek help! Want me to come?”

“It’s alright, really,” Rosa declined, “I’m sure it’s just my nerves.” She picked up her fork and began eating again.

Marianne was not convinced with her act, but she slowly nodded and went back to eating her food. 

— —

The dinner had come to an end, and Rosa finally got to see her new bedroom.

She was introduced to her maids: Charlotte, a young, timid girl who looked younger than she was, Lisa, who had short, auburn hair, and Sylvia, an older maid with solemn, blue eyes. They helped her unpack her things and prepared her bath. Though they weren’t looking, she undressed uncomfortably and stepped inside the bath. She couldn’t help but be soothed by the relaxing, scented water while her maids washed her up and down.

As they helped her into her nightgown, Sylvia asked her, “Is there anything more you need, miss?”

Rosa shook her head. “No, it’s alright. You’ve already done enough, thank you. I’d like to be left alone, if that’s alright?”

Charlotte’s quiet voice wavered as she spoke up, “Wouldn’t you like us to be nearby to cater you?”

“It’s fine; really, I think it’s best you all get your rest. I’m thankful for the offer though.”

“Well, one of us is going to have to stay here while you sleep,” Lisa shrugged. “Its orders, so nothing we can do about it.”

“I could ring the bell? Besides, I’d feel quite uncomfortable if someone’s watching me as I sleep.” They were still unsure about making the decision.

“You’re all supposed to obey orders, right?” They nodded, “Then, I order you all to get a good night’s sleep for tomorrow. If anyone asks, just tell them I ordered it.”

Her maids looked surprised upon hearing her order, looking among themselves and back at her. 

Sylvia smiled and nodded, “Very well, miss, we’ll be taking our leave.”

They curtsied and walked out through her door, leaving Rosa alone to lie on her canopy bed. 

Recalling the past events, it seemed unbelievable that a week ago, she was working at the tea shop with her friends. She looked to her side and saw a glass door that led to the balcony. Slipping from the side, she walked towards it and looked upon the sleeping city.

The dim lights and silhouettes of buildings looked so beautiful, yet distant. To look at such a view made her heart ache. She never thought she’d end up here at all. This had to be a mistake, why on earth was she in a castle competing for a kingdom she didn’t even come from? Who suddenly decided to make her life more stressful than it is now that she has to compete for a position and worse, the crown?

Her eyes stung tears that threatened to fall out, lip quivering and chest heaving. Quickly, she rushed away from the scene and unwittingly ran from her room. She ran, not knowing where she was even going, looking for anywhere she can be alone.

Catching her breath, Rosa found herself at what seemed to be an entrance to a garden. It was a great place for her to pour her feelings out. She came unnoticed, sitting down on the nearest seat and cried. The thought of authorities coming to look for her didn’t bother her at all as she wished they could immediately kick her out and send her home.

Home. The thought of the word just made her cry even more.

It took a while before Rosa realized she wasn’t alone. From behind, a familiar voice quietly spoke, “Are you alright?”

Rosa looked behind to see Jason-no, the  King,  standing there. He looked to be sad, a worried frown on him as he met her eyes.

Wiping her eyes, she looked away, “P-Please leave me alone.”

“I know I don’t have the right to ask,” he carefully approached her, “but I want to know what’s wrong.”

“This! Everything!” Rosa stood up, wailing, “It’s just-HOW? First the stupid form I filled out, next I’m here in the castle, then,” she gestured towards him, “I find out the guy I practically flirted with was the king?! How could I not be in shock after all this?”

He was startled, albeit quite flustered at the statement, but paid no attention to such a remark, “I can see why, circumstances being what they are and all. I can’t imagine how terrifying it must’ve been for you to leave in such a whim.”

“You’re one to talk! Is this really how you want to pick your men? A wife? Maybe some of them there wanted this, but I sorely regret just touching that paper. I can’t go back now knowing everyone has high expectations of me; not with all the people I made happy just by talking with them! I just wish I could reverse time, or give this to someone else, or-“

Rosa stopped and started to sob uncontrollably, her whines became quite louder.

“I-I just want to get back home, please.”

Hunched over the bench, the king slowly sat down beside her and rubbed her back until she calmed down.

What seemed like minutes passed by, and Rosa’s sobs quieted down to soft hiccups and sniffles.

“Better?” he asked.

“S-Sort of,” she managed to say. “Thank you, um, Your Majesty.”

“Please, call me Allen,” he smiled, “Your Majesty’s rather a bit too formal, don’t you think?”

“Won’t _*sniff*_ Won’t it be a form of disrespect to you?”

“It’s fine really, I’d a rather someone I know call me by my name instead of some title sown into me.”

Rosa looked away, frowning, “I still can’t believe you lied about that to me.”

Allen sighed, “I’m sorry, it wasn’t my intention to deceive you at all. I truly did enjoy meeting you, even if it was brief. I didn’t give you my true name because I knew it could possibly cause an uproar while I was in town.”

“I know you meant no harm,” she whispered, “I was bewildered is all.”

He nodded. She wasn’t crying as much anymore, but fresh tears were still pouring from her eyes as she stared at nothing but grass. It was ironic how she looked beautiful underneath the moonlight.

“...Will you be leaving?”

“Unless you want me to.” Gently, Allen wiped a tear away from her eye, “To me, it’s ungentlemanly for a man to leave a lady to cry.”

Rosa’s cheeks flushed a light shade of pink, both at how close his touch was and how brazen his actions were. Allen really was kind and goodhearted, like she had believed. Despite herself, she managed a small smile for him.

“That was sweet of you. Did your small trip to the mountains change you quite a lot?”

“You still remember that?” He asked, amused. She giggled and began to lighten up.

“Mhm, you were all my friends kept bugging me about all the time. Even going as far as to call you my boyfriend.” Allen looked bewildered and she continued on, “I know! They’re _that_ crazy about us.”

The two of them laughed until the tension slipped away. Rosa gently patted his shoulder, “Thank you, really. It was kind of you.”

Allen froze for a moment, astonished, and smiled, “Anytime.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: Her maids are named after the common given names for 2p nyo england in Japan! I didn’t include Olivia here because she’s Rosa’s little sister. 
> 
> Alice is her mom, I forgot to add.
> 
> If you want to check more about the chessverse au, just go to my ask blog and look through the #chessverse tags. Everything is all there! Thank you! C:


	8. Bonus (Masquerade Event)

A while back, [askthekingofclubs,](https://askthekingofclubs.tumblr.com/) [cards-of-the-royal-guard, ](https://cards-of-the-royal-guard.tumblr.com)and [ask-clubs-kingdom-merchan](https://ask-clubs-kingdom-merchant.tumblr.com)t hosted a masquerade ball event and my ask blog was one of the many that were invited. 

When I first got my invitation, it was still Allen’s turn so I didn’t get to show Rosa’s reply yet. That’s why I made a follow up ending for Drabble 5 pt 2:

Rosa: “Well, I did promise him I date the first time I met him.”

— —

Here were the outfits I made for them!

— —

Some of my favourite scenes from my interactions:

[ask-the-2pfuccs](https://ask-the-2pfuccs.tumblr.com)

This one had to be the best one out of all 4 because of how fast things escalated lol. Bowie, the mun, dmed me and asked if I wanted to add some chaos into it and I said “yeaaaaa”

The context here was that there was a big misunderstanding that Marcus (bowie’s 2p canada) was bothering Rosa when he was helping her up. They were about to throw hands lmao-

[askfairyromano](https://askfairyromano.tumblr.com)

Man, I loved drawing their muse! They also drew Rosa in their style and I loved it so much hfhfg

[spades-reversed](https://spades-reversed.tumblr.com) aka [Allen_Arthur](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Allen_Arthur/pseuds/Allen_Arthur) on ao3!

I felt really honored to interact with them because I loved the premise of their blog and their fic too. I’ll add the bits of dialogue here too (dw, I asked their permission)

“ _O-Oh, silly me, I shouldn’t have rambled on like that. Sorry! I don’t know what came on to me.”_

_“You sound like a great queen; I bet your citizens adore you and your rule.”_

“ _My dear, take it from me and enjoy the night while it is still young. However, I do urge you to dance with your King at some point this fine evening. Maybe later once everything has calmed down - it might make him less anxious spending time in your company.”_

_“Oh I don’t mind at all! I think speaking your mind is a wonderful thing.”_

_“I guess you are right, I should enjoy the night, and I want to with him. I think he’s been alone for far too long now.”_

_Thank you for granting me the pleasure to speak with you, Your Majesty!_

And finally, the host themself, [askthekingofclubs](https://askthekingofclubs.tumblr.com/)!

Before, Ivan wasn’t getting any asks for a dance and I reblogged with this reply:

_“It isn’t fair for the party host to be lonely while everyone gets to have fun, right?_

Luckily yeah, they both got to dance! owo

_“Thank you my dear, I thought I’d never be able to dance tonight” he chuckled lightly._

__

_“I wanted to thank you for the invitation as well. I’ve never been to a magnificent ball before, it’s really a dream come true!”_

— —

Really though, if you guys are reading this, I wanted to thank you and everyone who worked on this event (who I might have not listed I’m sorry,,) for having us. I hope everyone had fun too!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to check more about the chessverse au, just go to my ask blog and look through the #chessverse tags. Everything is all there! Thank you! C:


	9. Drabble 6:Questions, Questions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, I had to heavily edit this drabble because this was the one I really hated for being rushed and stuff.
> 
> Also, when I imagined this au, I thought of it being a mix between fantasy and the late-Victorian era. Hence why there’s radio, guns, and the introduction of television. 
> 
> As always, please enjoy!

Roderich wasn’t joking when he mentioned there will be plenty of eyes on them as they went through the competition.

Everyone was seated on individual tables and chairs, lain with plates, silverware and wineglasses, practicing the ways of proper etiquette and table manners before breakfast came in. As they did, men pointed at them with strange electronics that captured every single moment there was. Were those the ‘cameras’ that Roderich described? How can machines broadcast to millions of people to watch? Human technology is unbelievable at this point.

Being that it was five in the morning, Rosa was weary and drained of sleep from her outburst last night. Had it not been for her maids, she would’ve overslept and stayed in bed forever. Her eyes were heavy and were threatening to shut tight at any minute. A sharp sting on her forearm made her jump back to life and hold the right utensil.

She looked over her side to see Marianne looking apologetic, “Sorry, your face was about to fall flat on the plate, I had to do something!” she whispered.

“Oh, it’s fine, I needed it.”

“Didn’t get enough sleep, I assume?”

Rosa snickered, “You have  no idea.”

“I would like to point out it is rude for a lady to raise her voice beyond a whisper AND to talk while one is speaking.” the instructor stood behind them, with a glare that instantly shut their mouths tight and straightened their backs. She wondered if the cameramen caught her mistake. 

With a click of her tongue, she turned her heel and resumed with her teaching. As time passed, what felt foreign became secondhand knowledge: Offer to the left and pass everything to the right, place your napkin on your chair when leaving your seat, and never (The instructor eyed Rosa especially) grab a pastry with your hands, use tongs.

Though there was no food in front of them, her stomach began to grumble so badly, she could eat a horse.

Just when she was getting irritated, two guards had opened the door, and in came the King.

“Everyone, rise and bow to His Royal Majesty. You must do so whenever he and another monarch is to enter your presence.” The contestants immediately rose from their seats and curtsied.

The King raised his hand, “Please, there is no need to be so formal. It is only the first day.”

“Of course, your majesty,” the instructor bowed. The King acknowledge their greeting, nodding towards their direction. 

“If I may, I would like to make my round of greetings to all the fine ladies and gentlemen in the room,” he extended his arm towards the table, “I’d like to take the time to get to know them as I had no time to last night.”

“Why, of course.” Soon, the contestants were lined up according to number, waiting for their turn to shake hands and speak with the king. Jackets were straightened, hair was being brushed, and excited chatter was passed around. Those who came back seemed elated or proud of themselves to have seized the opportunity. 

Minutes passed, and the line was now getting shorter than ever. Marianne passed by and gave her an encouraging smile. She returned it back, though really, she didn’t feel it. Now, it was her turn to talk with Allen. She curtsied, to which he greeted with a bow.

“Your majesty,” she shook his hand.

“My lady.”

She giggled, “And you said you didn’t want to be so formal.”

“I guess I did, huh?” 

They laughed, brushing off the unease between them. Allen’s voice turned soft, worried, “Did you sleep well last night? After you got back?”

Rosa didn’t know how to reply, not knowing if she should be truthful or not. She shrugged her shoulders and looked up at him, “You could say that.” 

He quirked a brow, “So is that a yes?”

“I wouldn’t be here standing in front of you if I was drained of all my energy. No one likes a girl with no sleep.”

“Ha, well, I hope I don’t get to see you that way anytime soon,” He chuckled. Allen’s eyes looked tender, as if he were admiring her through her gaze. He ducked down, then looked up at her again, his lips in a fine, thin line.

“If you could be honest with me, you said you wanted to go back home, would you be pleased if I could let you go? I have no intention of keeping you here if it pains you.”

To hear it from his mouth made her wonder herself: did she really want to go home now? She’d just made an acquaintance, and she couldn’t imagine the disappointment she’d bring her friends and all the people that she shook hands with after lifting their spirits. Not to mention her mum and little Olivia losing extra income...

Firm with her answer, she shook her head, “I think not. I’d rather not let anyone down by getting booted on the first day. My family needs the support as well. Even for a week, they need the money. As long as I make it to at least a few months, I’m game. I may not be after a title, power, or your heart, but I’d still love to be someone you can confide in; someone who could help you learn to talk with others. I could always be your friend.”

He looked stunned, blinking for a moment before speaking, “A friend, huh?”

“Don’t tell me you don’t want me to stay!”

Allen flushed red, feeling shy all of a sudden. “That’s not- Of course I do, I mean...Ok, you really like to tease me.” he feigned annoyance and pouted, crossing his arms.

Rosa suppressed a laugh, but her smile remained. 

Still looking away, he rubbed his nape as he thought of what to say, “If anything, perhaps I’d like that,” he coughed up, “I can’t think of anyone else who’d be bold enough to fluster me out of my wits and still be fun to be with.”

If that came from anyone else, she would’ve rolled her eyes at such a bad attempt to flirt, but in this case, it was probably a compliment. “It’s a deal, then.” 

An attendant whispered into his ear, catching him off-guard and looking surprised. “Oh,” he mouthed, dismissing them, and looked back at Rosa apologetically. 

“This is...embarrassing, but I guess I forgot we had a limit for this.” He nervously laughed, shaking her hand one more time, “I’m really sorry, I must’ve been carried away. I really looked forward to talking with you.”

“Me too.” 

He bowed and she curtsied, quickly going back to her seat. She understood, of course, but a part of her was wishing she had more time to talk. If she looked back, would he be glancing her way?

She decided against it and promptly sat down on her seat, where her breakfast awaited her. Rosa blamed the strange throbbing in her chest to a heart burn from swallowing too hard.

— —

“You are miss Rosa Kirkland, am I correct?”

The interview was set up at dusk, right before another grand dinner with the royals. She and the rest had changed to their evening wear, something she couldn’t understand. Was it necessary to change clothes depending on the hour of the day? The morning dress was still fine to use.

Regardless, she put on her bravado and braced herself for the questions.

“Yes.” 

“You know, you look like you’ve not an ounce of make-up on your face. Can you tell us why?”

She hummed in thought, “Well, glamour and stylishness were never something I liked to see in me. I’d rather I just dabble a bit of blush and call it a day, really.”

“Hmm, I get it. Looks aren’t everything, right?”

“In some occasions, maybe, but in this case, I  REALLY  need to look presentable. Not too much or little, just good enough for a dozen of nobles,” she sniffed her arm, “Oh, and I need to smell good. Gosh, I can’t believe they have such wonderful perfume!”

The interviewer laughed, alongside another crew member recording their voices, “Ah, you’re a character! The look does suit someone like you.”

“Thank you. I never had that many options of dresses to pick from before.”

“Speaking of, you are one of the few migrant elves to have been picked to the Candidacy. How is the royal experience so far?”

Rosa bit her lip and shrugged, “Fine, I suppose.”

“Just fine?” 

She raised her hands defensively, “I-I don’t mean I find anything unpleasant of some sort. It’s surprisingly been good so far and, well, I hope it stays that way.”

“Mhm, I see. Now, what are you expecting to gain from this competition?”

She didn’t answer yet. There was nothing she wanted, she’s just staying for her family and friends and...what else? She thought back to what she told Allen, and the feeling of want in her to talk to him more. Was there any answer that could suffice?

“I’d say whatever the outcome, I’m willing to accept it.”

It was vague, but at least it was acceptable. The interviewer nodded and smiled, “I think that’ll be all for now. Thank you for your time.”

“I-It’s over?” Rosa rose from her seat uncertainly.

“We are trying to narrow down the whole lot of you, and I think your answers are sustainable enough.”

She sighed in relief, shook hands and arrived in the Women’s room, where the ladies were waiting.

The space was set to allow them to sit together, yet the small portion of Marfillian girls were piled in a corner, a few of them were human like Marianne. The rest sat on the rich, velvet sofas, not even batting an eye on them.

Marianne called her from the back, allowing her to sit next to her. She was grateful she had someone she can rely on. While she was happy to see her, some weren’t. A couple of contestants whispered behind her back, some stole glances when she passed by. 

Shuffling close to her friend, she asked, “Why’re they looking at me?”

“I don’t think you’d be really happy to hear,” she laughed nervously.

“No, I insist, you can tell me.”

Marianne sighed in defeat and frowned, “It’s about you talking to the king a bit longer than the rest. They thought it was unfair you got to get his favor easily. Someone had the gall to suggest you’d sleep your way into winning.”

Rosa was baffled someone would think she’d do such a thing. “I haven’t gained his favor at all, he could have just forgotten about the time limit.” she defended herself. It wasn’t that much truthful, but it did happen. “Why would they think I‘d- that’s ludicrous. ”

“I know, and I believe you,” Marianne placed her hand on her shoulder, “It’s just, this is a competition, Rosa, not everyone here’ll be friendly.” She looked at someone, Lucrezia Vargas, a girl with brown hair and gold eyes who glared at her from behind and shot a dirty look, “and they’ll do whatever it takes to get number one.”

Rosa didn’t seem to notice, as she nodded and sighed, “You’re right.”

Her friend smiled and laughed, holding her hands in hers. “Oh, don’t worry, you’re doing great!”

She smiled and squeezed her hands tight. “You too,” she said, and she truly meant it.

As she looked around, she noticed something was off, “Why are two of us missing?”

“Oh well, they’re gone.”

“Gone?” Rosa was confused, but she didn’t need to ask when the realization hit her fast. “Oh.”

They were already sent home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to check more about the chessverse au, just go to my ask blog and look through the #chessverse tags. Everything is all there! Thank you! C:


	10. Bonus Comic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before the actual drabble starts, I wanted to implement the anons in the story as being somewhat canon so by the time my ask limit (the limit until a drabble would be released), I made a short strip showcasing and then the story follows after.
> 
> Oh yeah, Allen pissed off the bugs by shooing them out of the castle when he and his staff realized they were magical creatures spying on them.
> 
> Enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to check more about the chessverse au, just go to my ask blog and look through the #chessverse tags. Everything is all there! Thank you! C:


	11. Drabble 7 (1/2): The Calm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this is the second to the last for the event. I initially planned to do 10 drabbles but I had no time due to school and other real life issues. I do have some unused drafts that I could show here tho
> 
> Enjoy!

“Well, that was…something.”

Rosa snickered while she tended the scratches he’d acquired from the quiery bugs that attacked him. He hated how innocently they sat on the table top as though nothing had transpired. One of them shot him a look and stuck its tongue out.

“Well, at least they won’t make a pelt out of your skin now that they’re neutral.”

Allen was aghast while she continued patching him up. He gulped, “Th-They can do that?”

She looked at him incredulously and laughed, “Of course not! They’re not that barbaric.”

“O-Oh,” Allen laughed nervously in relief. He noticed the blood-red robin perching on her shoulder and tried to reach it, only for it to recoil and fly into its makeshift nest.

He immediately coiled away from the pain he felt from the healing gel being applied to him. “Hold still,” Rosa frowned.

“I-I’m sorry, it just hurts,” she gently pulled him closer and continued applying it, only more gently this time. The gel did its job, though, as most of his small cuts immediately disappeared without a trace.

“I’m surprised you actually have these healing gels in stock,” she closed the cabinet and put it away, “Weren’t magical concoctions banned?”

“We’re working on that. Our kingdom’s not so familiar with the magical arts and we’re pushing on educating ourselves more about so we won’t confuse ourselves with light and dark magic. Some of us are debating whether we should bring back apothecaries and mages as a profession.”

“Oh… that’s nice to hear.”

The last of his scratches were patched up with small bandages. She rolled down his sleeves to cover them up, “There, all done!”

He smiled in relief, thankful for the help. The bugs had immediately disappeared after bidding Rosa goodbye. He didn’t mind that they didn’t bother with him, though he did feel quite down her pet robin wouldn’t accept him.

“Again, I’m really sorry about that. They don’t normally act this hostile to humans. I wonder what got into them.”

“Oh, no, it’s fine. I think it might’ve been my fault,” He spoke knowingly.

“How come?” She quirked an eyebrow as she looked back from stowing away the kit.

“Well, actually…nevermind.”

Rosa went back to the small, round table, sitting herself down and pulling her chair a little closer. “So, why’d you set up another meet up with me?” she asked.

Allen looked down, seemingly more squirmish now. “W-Well, you did have that offer about helping me deal with girls. I mean, I don’t know what I have to do or even say most of the time. I just keep pretending I’m in a ballroom,”

“What’s the difference between this and a ball?”

“It’s much worse. I can’t run away,” he laughed sarcastically. In the back of his mind, he was still cursing his mother for making him pick and shoo away any girl. He couldn’t quite forget the immense feeling of guilt and self-hatred after he’d sent away the first two who were eliminated.

Rosa hummed in understanding. “Well, if I may ask, are the other girls and royal court members aware of our interactions?”

“Unless we’ll have to be together for interviews, gatherings, and the like, everything is between us. It makes it sort of easier for me to choose a queen amongst you.”

Nodding, she took the information as a sign of relief. “I see.”

A maid came in with a steaming teapot, a cup, and some chocolate cake. She asked if Rosa would like it if she poured some for her but she declined, politely shaking her head with wave of her hand.

“What kind of tea is it?”

“It’s Rose Milk Tea!” she added some honey in her tea and stirred, “Charlotte, my maid, told me they had some in stock here and I just had to get some!”

Allen snickered, “And you added in a cake?”

“Of course I did. What, is it a crime to have cake with your tea?” She looked pointedly at him while taking a small bite. He laughed harder this time, shaking his head at the absurdity of it. She laughed along as well and tried to offer him a bite, but he refused.

“Boo, you’re no fun.”

“I’m not quite hungry as of the moment.”

“Then why not try some of the tea?” Rosa gestured at the little teapot.

Allen politely shook his head, “Well, suit yourself.” She took a whiff of the milky scent and took a small sip, “It’s sad knowing you’ll never get a taste of this majesty.”

“If you’re really that insistent, then tell me: what’s so special about it?”

She hummed, contemplating as she stared down her own cup and smiled, “I don’t know, I guess it just dawned onto me since I first tried this in my old job,” she giggled, “When I drank it, it feels like flowers are blooming in my mouth.”

His eyes widened and his mind went blank. At that point, every word she spoke and every other noise was blocked from his ears.

It could have just been his mind, but those words, why were they so familiar?

Where had he heard that before?

…

_“You’re drinking tea?”_

_Rosalina nodded giddily with a teacup in hand, “Mhm! My papa said I can have some. Want to try it with me?”_

_Allen looked at the drink and back at her. “I don’t know…it’ll probably taste yucky like the one my maid gave me when I had the flu.”_

_“But it’s good! Trust me!”_

_Still not convinced, he squinted at it hard, “Really?”_

_“Really! It has milk in it with honey and when you drink it, it feels like flowers blooming in your mouth!”_

_“That doesn’t make sense?”_

_“It does to me, now try it!” She shoved the cup onto his hands._

_Rosalina looked at him with a hopeful, twinkling gaze in her eyes. It’d be terrible to let her down and he never wants to make his best friend sad. With his eyes closed shut, he slowly took a sip and prepared for the worst._

_It was…surprisingly nice, he had to admit. A bit too flowery and warm, but nice._

_“Mm, I…I like it,” he looked at her, surprised._

_She huffed in pride as she laughed, “I told you! Now we can have tea parties like my mum and her friends do!”_

_“But I’m a boy?”_

_“So?”_

_“…Alright.”_

…

Allen snapped out of his thoughts when he heard his name being called repeatedly.

“O-Oh, I’m sorry, could you, could you repeat that?”

“I just asked if you were alright,” Rosa pulled away, “You looked lost for a moment. Is something wrong?”

He shook his head. “No, no, I-I’m fine. Sorry.”

She didn’t look convinced, but nodded anyway, “I see.”

He quirked his lip upward, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m sorry if I made things awkward.”

“There’s nothing to apologize for! Don’t be so hard on yourself,” she reassured him.

“Oh, sor-“ he shut his mouth before he could do it again.

Despite her laughing, there wasn’t any hostility in it. It was soft, gentle as the breeze of the wind. He noticed how her smile tilted more upwards to the right and the way her brows furrow together as her laugh turns brighter. From the window, he could see his cheeks starting to blush; Allen did his best to hide it.

— —

Dinner for the most part was quiet save for the clattering of silverware onto china plates and hushed tones, proper to use at the dining table. Allen didn’t didn’t say a word and focused on slicing his ham. His mother didn’t come as she was busying herself with entertaining the visiting lords from different houses.

“So, how was it?” Matilda whispered beside him.

“What was?”

“You know, your most recent dates and all that nonsense.” She ate a large chunk of her fluffy, buttered waffles (why she requested them for dinner, he’d rather not question)

He didn’t know what to say and thought carefully, “Um, it was great.”

Matilda hummed, “What about your most recent Candidate? What’d you guys do together?”

Allen gulped slowly, “Uh, well…remember that girl I met from a village I told you about?” he put down his fork and cutting knife, “Yeah, she’s the one I had a date with today.”

Dramatically, his sister nearly choked on her waffles and swiftly drank a glass of water nearby, “You’re joking!” he shook his head, earning him a laugh, “By the gods, Al! This can’t be a coincidence.”

He tried to shush her, seeing how her reaction has turned some heads towards them. Not only did he want to hear a scolding, but he needed to be saved from this embarrassment. Really, how did they share the same blood? “Matilda, quiet!”

“Alright, alright, but tell me about your first meeting; Did she freak out?”

“Sister!” Now he was getting flustered.

“What, just tell me-“

She was interrupted when they heard the confusing noises from the main hallway, then came the rhythmic marching of guards scouting the area and the random shouting of orders.

“Get down!” He yelled as soon as gunshots were heard. “To the back of the room. Now!” she barked. Everyone immediately dropped whatever they were doing and obeyed.

Allen and his pawn came and begun shutting the windows, but instead of blinds, they were metal shades that immediately locked into place. His sister came in and did the same.

An entourage of guards soon arrived to the scene. The large doors were shut, bolted down and secured with iron bars.

That alone was enough to be apparent, the castle was being sieged.

“They’ve infiltrated the walls, Your Majesty,” General Toris spoke, “but we’ll hold them off.“

“What of the Candidates?”

“The Candidates are being supervised in their respective dining halls, supervised by our guards and personnel.”

“Understood.” He ended the conversation there.

He looked to see Sir Manuel armed with a pistol and checking the secret passageways. He nodded at him, affirming they were in good condition.

Leading the rest of the council to evacuate, his mind thought back to the Candidates, to Rosa. Now wasn’t the time to fear for the worst, but the gut-wrenching feeling in him made him anxious.

He felt the fear he first felt when he saw the Marfillian palace in flames, when he waited for news, the desperation when he heard _she_ …

All negative thoughts were immediately brushed off as he proceeded to rush to the dining hall where the women were.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to check more about the chessverse au, just go to my ask blog and look through the #chessverse tags. Everything is all there! Thank you! C:


	12. Drabble 7(2/2): The Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAAND this was the end.
> 
> Thank you for reaching the end and enjoy!

Rosa had a feeling something like this was bound to happen; with so many guests to the many preparations and tasks to train the potential leaders of a kingdom, surely someone wouldn’t have noticed something amiss right away and let their security slip.

A loud bang came from the outside, loud enough to make a handful of girls scream. 

Allen, accompanied by his pawn and an entourage of guards, rushed in immediately. He quickly rushed to a candlestick, pulling it down to reveal a secret passageway. “In here, ladies, hurry!” Almost immediately, everyone rushed to get out of the scene all the while maintaining proper order.

The passage was narrow and thin, dim but had enough candles to let them see through the dark. They spiraled down some staircases and went through halls to get to a secret room where everyone could hide in the meantime.

The inside was quite small and surrounded by metal shades that covered the doors and windows. Some Candidates were crying, others were breathing heavily or stared in shock. A girl had fainted and was lying across someone’s lap. Allen and his pawn were discreetly talking to each other, far enough for the girls to not hear. 

It made her wonder if this was a natural occurrence to them, and if it was, how many attacks did they have to face? How many times have they been put into danger?

If life in the castle meant this, did anyone really have the guts to rule?

Marianne took her hand, and it was only then that she noticed that she was shaking. “Hey, don’t worry,” she whispered, “We’ll be fine.” Though she spoke it, she knew Marianne was just lying through her teeth.

Everyone was still on their guard as the loud banging of guns and the rhythmic marching of men were heard from above. Allen was checking up on every girl to make sure they were alright, which was an understatement since most were still on hysterics.

He sat down with Rosa who was busying her fingers with a vase of wilting flowers to keep her mind occupied. “...Are you okay?”

“A bit shook, but yes.”

Allen sat by her and watched as she felt the petals between her fingertips. “You don’t look well.”

She absentmindedly hummed, hugging herself tight, “Perhaps.” 

She was scared, she’ll have to admit, but it’d be shameful now if she broke down in front of the King and all the royals. For all she knew, they‘d see her as a burden or shame her for not acting like an ideal lady should.

Rosa hadn’t noticed Allen draping something on her shoulders. Free from stupor, she turned to see it was his coat he lent to her.

“We…ran out of spare blankets, and I,” he coughed, “I thought you looked cold. You could give it back if you don’t want it.” 

His face looked flustered again, she noticed. Instead of point it out and jest with him like she always did, she silently nodded in thanks, “No, it’s quite alright.” She sighed, her shoulders sagging, “I hope my maids are alright.”

“They will be. Staff and personnel have been trained in the past for emergencies like these. They likely have retreated with the rest.” Taking this as reassurance, she at least nodded.

That still begs the question about what was happening outside. If there’s a good time to ask, it was now. “Who are these people? What do they want?”

Allen hesitated before answering, “I probably shouldn’t tell you much, but they’re rebels. They’ve been threatening to declare war on us for a while now, I didn’t know they’d act this forward now.” He turned away and grimaced, “They’re planning on taking down Ibenholt; they’ve teamed up with the same group that took down Marfillian to go against us.”

Rosa covered her mouth and stared in disbelief. She still let him continue regardless.

“From all the reports I’ve received, they’ve succeeded in seizing a good part of land to make as their base up in the mountains alongside some military outposts. Not to mention the involvement of black magic.”

“Black magic?” Her eyes widened at the mention of it. This made things worse, if these rebels had their hands on one of the most powerful yet forbidden forms of magic, then Ibenholt was doomed. Those who dabbled in it gained it with the sacrifice of a life, and they must keep taking more if they wanted to hone more power. 

“Unfortunately.” He frowned, groaning “This was why I didn’t want this blasted Candidacy to be held! Maybe if anyone listened to my reasoning and just cancelled this so called “tradition” none of this would be happening.” 

Almost instantly, his eyes widened as soon as he realized what he’d said. “Oh. Oh, oh no, I-I shouldn’t have said that,” he nervously blurted out.

“Allen-“ something heavy hit the steel shades, silencing both of them. Allen pulled Rosa behind him. The siege stopped, both of them looked at each other before slowly pulling away.

It seems the cat was out of the bag now, and there’s no use pretending it never happened. Awkward silence would be a much worse sentence.

“So, you were against it?”

“Rejected it even, I tried to get my mother to cancel it but she wouldn’t listen to me. She never does,” he spoke with a glint of malice, “I later tried the councilmen but most of them just said the same thing: tradition, new royals, new Queen, the patriarchy, give what the people want.” He rolled his eyes, “Sounds like hypocrisy to me.”

Rosa bitterly agreed.

“Was there anybody who sided with you?”

“It didn’t matter; in the end, majority vote won and, well, here we are.”

She snorted a laugh. Ironic how relaxed both of them were, talking bad about politicians while being sheltered from an attack. What more, Rosa realized, was that if this nonsense competition never came to be, they wouldn’t be as close as they were now. 

From the corner of her eye, she could feel a few envious girls’ glaring at her suspiciously, Vargas’s especially. Even with that calm and collected demeanor, she could feel it tear into her soul.

“I think it’s time you move on with the other girls.” 

Allen looked confused for a brief moment before realizing what she meant, mouthing an “oh” and stood up from his chair while clearing his throat. “Well, anyone you recommend I talk to?” 

Rosa looked behind her to see if her best nominee for Queen is still holding in together. She smiled, she was.

“Do you see the girl with blonde hair and purple roses on her head? That’s Marianne; Charming, really motherly, loves to talk about food. Go.”

He chuckled as he left. 

She watched as he approached Marianne. It looked like everything went well, the two were lost in conversation, chatting as though they were friends who haven’t seen each other in years.

In her eyes, she saw the future royal couple of Ibenholt. She knew how intelligent Marianne was in their mandatory classes, and how admired she was by the public for her lineage. She’d make a great queen. 

— —

After what felt like an eternity, everyone was relieved to hear that the attack had ceased. It was already close to midnight by the time the women were safely accommodated to their quarters. 

Once Rosa made it into hers, she sunk to the floor in relief, leaning against the door behind her. She’d only noticed how tired and exhausted she was when she felt her eyes become heavy. Quickly, she spent no time wasted in changing to her nightgown, undoing her hair, and quite literally jumping onto bed, just wanting to rest. It had been a long night.

She’d only then realize that she wore his jacket. Gasping, the jacket taken of and examined. It was starting to get wrinkled, nothing she couldn’t fix the next day, but the jacket had the subtle scent of his cologne. 

It wasn’t strong, stiff, or bothersome to the nose; rather, it smelt warm, with the scent of earth and fresh pinewood. She felt wrong for wanting to keep it. 

Returning the coat could wait for tomorrow. Instead, she used it as a makeshift blanket to keep herself warm. She was too lazy and tired to sleep properly anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to check out more about the chessverse au, just go to my ask blog and look through the #chessverse tags. Everything is all there! Thank you! C:


	13. Bonus: Alternate Outro

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT’S MAH BIRTHDAY!!!🎉🎉🎉
> 
> So yeah, I wanted to make this the ending but I didn’t want to rush Rosa getting her childhood memories back and this wouldn’t make sense.
> 
> I’m in the middle of my exams as I post this too lmao.
> 
> Enjoy and wish me luck!

_ A little girl was running in a freshly trimmed garden, The wind carried her hair and skirts as she ran past colorful assortments of flowers and past unsuspecting pixies. Someone was chasing her from behind, a boy around her age who seemed determined to win their game of tag.  _

_ Finally, she was caught, and they tumbled to the ground together, caring less if their clothes were dirtied and of the little bits of dirt sticking on their legs, laughing until they were out of breath. _

_ In here, they felt they were the only two children in the world. They held hands while they down on the field, staring at clouds and guessing their shapes. _

_ “I feel jealous of birds sometimes,” her companion said all of a sudden, “They get to fly around and go wherever they want. Meanwhile, we have stupid lessons and rules to follow and grown ups who nag and don’t have fun.” _

_ “That is true,” she pouted.  _

_ Her friend sat up with a grin, “But I’m not going to be a lame grown up. Someday, I’ll be the first person to touch the clouds!” _

_ “No one can do that.”  _

_ “Not now, that’s why I said someday! I know a blacksmith who liked to dabble with inventions, and he said they’re making a flying machine.” He turned to look at her, “His inventions always work, and I bet this one will too.” _

_ Now she sat up, grinning with excitement and asked, “When you go, will you tell me what the clouds feel like?” _

_ “Even better, I’ll take you with me!” He raised his hand to the sky, “and we’ll go somewhere so high up that no one can tell us what to do, nothing can hurt us, and we’ll rule the world with our cloud kingdom!” _

_ “King and Queen of everything!” _

_ They giggled spontaneously, lost in their childish merriment and fantasy. The day was perfect: the sun was shining, the flowers fresh and blooming, and they had all the time in the world to laugh and play. _

_ The girl offered him her pinky. _

_ _

_ “Promise me? Pinky promise?” _

_ The boy smiled and gave her his own. _

_“I swear it!”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to check out more about the chessverse au, just go to my ask blog and look through the #chessverse tags. Everything is all there! Thank you! C:

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to check more about the chessverse au, just go to my ask blog and look through the #chessverse tags. Everything is all there! Thank you! C:


End file.
